Getting Started

Why do we fail to act on our ideas? It isn’t because the idea is bad and not worth acting upon. Usually, it’s the fear of failure that prevents us from acting on our dreams and responsibilities. Even if someone is the type to get started on their idea, it’s that fear of failure that can derail their plans mid-way and they end up quitting before they can see the full fruits of their labor.

Another common reason that ideas don’t come to life is because of what I like to call paralysis by analysis. We overthink it! We spend all our time “getting ready to get ready” and don’t ever get started. This is problematic also because if your idea is solving a problem, that problem will continue to get bigger the longer you go without fixing it.

Stick with it

Former Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry said something once that was quite powerful: “A champion is simply someone who didn’t give up when he wanted to.”

I think it’s easy to say that Tom’s career proved he was a successful person. I think it’s true that most successful people look at opportunities that come their way and they analyze those opportunities, then they take action to make those opportunities happen.

If you truly believe in an opportunity for something great, then you should be tenacious and see the process through to its completion. This concept is true for both retailers and suppliers alike!

While it can be easy to quit when things get tough, I can assure you that in most cases, once you get your momentum, small successes will carry you forward. You just have to have the courage and energy to get started!

I want to close with a quote from hockey great Wayne Gretzky.

“You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take.”

I encourage you take that first leap of faith and go make good things happen.